Antirefill device



H. A. FISHER 2,337,549

ANTIREFILL DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7% My I'Qfl Dec.28, 1943. H. A. FISHER ANT'IREFILL DEVICE Filed Feb. 6. 1942 3-Sheets-Shee-t 3 Jipnrg 6E Patented Dec. 28, 1943 U N i T '1.

o sates a ICE 15 Claims.

This invention relates to anti-refill devices or units for neckedcontainer such as bottles.

Many forms of such devices have been proposed heretofore but have beenobjectionable for various reasons. For one thing, where at alleifective, they have been of complicated construction and expensive, andfor another thing, and principally, they have usually required a specialcontainer construction to provide for anchoring, or it has beennecessary to secure the devices in the containers by cementing. Anobject of the present invention is to overcome these objections byproviding such devices as may be readily and cheaply made from plastics,and. which are so designed as to be effectively retained in the necks ofstandard containers without any modification whatever of the latter andwithout the use of any extraneous means, such as cement.

In illustration of how the invention may be carried out, practicalembodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings with reference towhich the description will proceed.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 shows in elevation an anti-refill device, in accordance withthe invention, operatively disposed in a bottle neck, the latter beingshown in axial section.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the non-refill device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line fl i of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 'E-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a section on line i-l of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is an axial section of an auxiliary guard associable with theanti-refill device.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the guard of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an elevation of the anti-refill device including theauxiliary guard of Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 11 shows in elevation another form of anti-refill device inaccordance with the invention, the device being shown in operativeassociation with a bottle neck which appear in axial section. v

Figure 12 is a view like that of Figure 11, but showing the parts inpouring disposition.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the non-refill device of Figures 11 and 12.

Figure 14 is a section on line hil4 of Figure 13. t

Figure 15 is a section on line i5|5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a section on line iii-l6 of Figure 14.

Figure 17 is an elevation of a further form of device in accordance withthe invention.

Figure 18 is a plan View of the device of Figure 17.

Figure 19 shows in elevation the device of Fig ures 17 and 18 inoperative association with a bottle neck which appears in axial section.

Figure 20 is a section on line 2020 of Figure 18.

Figure 21 is a section on line 2l--2l of Figure 20. v

Figure 22 is a section on line 2222 of Figure 20, and

Figure 23 is a section on line 23Z3 of Figure 20.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 10, the antirefill device or unitgenerally indicated by the reference numeral 25 includes a top or outerportion 26 in the form of an annular fin which is inwardly dished at 21to a circular pouring opening 28, the lower wall of the fin beingupwardly curved to meet the top wall at a thin edge 29. As appears mostclearly in Figure 3 and '7, the radial section of the fin issubstantially that of the marginal portion of a relatively fiatconverging meniscus. Integral with the fin 25 are three downwardlyextending legs 30 whose outer edges are spaced inwardly from the edge 29to leave a free lip portion and below the opening 28 these legs haveintegrally formed therewith a ring 3i and a disc or table 32, thediameter of the ring 3i being preferably somewhat greater than that ofthe opening 28 and the diameter of its opening 33 being preferablysomewhat less than the diameter of disc 32, the ring and disc beingcoaxial and somewhat spaced apart. Below the disc 32 the inner portionsof the legs are reduced to the relatively fragile triangular sectionshown in Figure 3 and their extremities are set into and cemented inmating recesses formed in the top wall of a bottom or inner fin 34 whosesection is like that of the top fin as particularly seen in Figures 3and 7. The legs 3!] and fin 3d constitute a cage for a ball 35 which iscooperable with a mating seat 36 which rims the opening of fin 35, ball35 being preferably constituted by a marble. The entire frame of theunit is molded from a plastic such as polystyrene and as here shownpreferably comprises only two parts which are welded or cementedtogether by the use of a solvent such as ethyl acetate.

The bottle neck 31 has a smooth substantially cylindrical inner wall 38and in ordinary manufacture the neck opening is of substantially truecircularity at least for some distance inwardly from the bottle lip. Fin26 has an overall diameter somewhat greater than the neck diameter andthe overall diameter of fin 34 is ordinarily slightly less than that offin 26. In associating the device with the bottle neck, a suitablepushing tool is applied to the face 27 and the device is pushed into theneck to the position, or thereabouts, shown in Figure 1, While the lipof fin 26 is circumferentially contractible, by being forced into a moreextremely cupped condition than normal, it is resistant to contractionand exerts a powerful expanding action against the inner wall of theneck and not only seals the neck off in to the opening 28, but alsoserves to retain the device in the neck against removal.

Fin 34 seals off the neck in to the seat 36 and consequently it is onlythrough the latter that the container contents can reach the pouringopening 23. Fin 34 also'has an anchoring and centering effect. Thediameter of the bottom fin is, as above stated, preferably somewhatsmaller than that of the top fin in order that in the inserting processthe legs 30 will not be subjected to such compression as would bend orbreak them. It is desirable, however, that the frictional engagement ofthe bottom fin b as great as is safely possible.

If, for example, a pressure of sixty pounds has been necessary to insertthe device in the bottle neck, it will be seen that, due to the wedgingeffect, a considerably greater force will be required to extract it andsince this force can only be applied at points around the opening 28,the fin will almost certainly be broken if an attempt is made to removeit. Furthermore, even if the top fin can be pulled outwardly withoutbreakage, the legs 30 are apt to be subjected to breaking tension due tothe resistance of the fin 34. It is thus impossible to remove the devicewithout destroying it. The frictional resistance of the fins'isdetermined by the resiliency of the material, over-all diameter inrelation to the inner diameter of the neck, and thickness.

It will be evident that in the normal disposition of the device as shownin Figure 1, refilling of the bottle is made impossible by the seatingof ball 35 and that due to the provision of the bafiie means constitutedby ring 3| and disc 32 it is hardly possible to reach the ball with aretracting instrument.

' The guard 39 shown in Figures 8 to 10 constitutes an additionalprecaution which may be used if desired. This guard, as here shown,includes a disc portion 40 of the same diameter as the opening 28, anddepending from the disc are three legs 4| provided with angular bottomnotches 42. Ring 3| is provided on its top face with three angularprotuberances 43 which are spaced apart as the legs 4|. In assembly theleg 4| are inserted through the opening 28 and protuberances 43 areengaged in notches 42 and cemented, the length of the legs being suchthat the disc portion 40 willbe spaced above the top of opening 28. Ifit should be attempted to remove the thus equipped device from a bottleneck, traction on the disc 40 will merely result in breaking the legs 4|or the joint at their lower ends. The presence of the guard makes itpractically impossible to engage any effective extracting tool under thefin 26.

Figures 11 to 16 illustrate a dual valve unit in accordance with theinvention. Referring to these figures, the anti-refill device isindicated as a Whole by the reference numeral 45. It comprises a top orouter disc 46 whose marginal portion 41 constitutes a fin shaped likethose previously described. The disc has a central perforation 48 andthree arcuate slots 49 concentrically disposed relative to theperforation. Three integral legs 55 depend from disc 46 and have theirlower ends cemented to a bottom or inner disc 5| which includes a finportion 52. Disc 5| is provided with a central opening 53 whose marginsprovide a seat for a ball 54 which is movable in the cage defined bylegs 50 and disc 51. A cage 55 in the form of a cup has the free edge ofits imperforate side walls set into and cemented in an annular groove inthe bottom of disc 5|. The bottom wall of cage 55 is provided with acentral opening 56 whose margins provide a seat for a second ball 51which, as here shown is somewhat smaller than the ball 54 yet largerthan the lower end of opening 53. Also, as here shown, the bottom wallof cage 55 is continued outwardly into a peripheral fin 58 which isshaped as the other fins.

In Figure 11 the unit 45 is shown operatively positioned in a bottleneck 59. As in the first embodiment, the top fin provides the mainfrictional engagement, fins 52 and 58 being of somewhat smaller diameterso that not too much compressive strain will be imposed on the partsbetween the fins during insertion. Since the cage 55 is imperforate, fin58 may be omitted or, on the other hand, with fin 58 present the sidewalls of the cage 55 may be perforate. In the illustrated construction,however, fin 58 prevents the loss of the small quantity of liquid whichmight otherwise enter the space 59. When the bottle is tilted forpouring as in Figure 12, both balls leave their seats and ball 51 isprevented, in any normal pouring position, from seating against thelower margins of opening 53 by reason of the fact that the radius of theball is less than the radial distancefrom' the inner surface of the sidewalls of cage 55 to the lower edge of opening 53, as seen in Figure 12.Disc 5| thus provides a retaining ledge for the ball. If it were to beattempted to refill the bottle, ball 54 can be reached to some extentthrough the openings 48 and 49 of disc 46, but ball 51 is completelyinaccessible. In any attempted vacuum refilling operation ball 51 wouldbe dislodged from the position shown in Figure 12 and seat against thelower edge of opening 53 to block the latter.

Referring now to Figures 17 to 23, the antirefill unit designated as awhole by the reference numeral 60 comprises an upper portion 6| which ismore extremely dished than the fin portions heretofore described and maybe said to be generally bell-shaped. As here shown, this upper portionis provided with minute radial slits 62 which extend throughout theupper portion to the lower cage portion 63 which is integral therewithand has solid walls. Portion 63, as here shown, has four internallongitudinally extending ribs 64 which extend upwardly to plane 65 wherethe outer portion 6| begins. A wheel-like member 65 has a rim 66cemented on top of ribs 54 and spokes 61 which meet at a central hub 68.A pin 69 rises from the hub 68 and the extremity of the pin is reducedand is engaged and cemented in a central opening of a disc 10 whichbears against the underlying shoulder. Three legs H which projectupwardly from disc 10 support a ring 12 which has a central openingsmaller than disc HI, the outer edge of ring 12 being spaced somewhatinwardly from the inner walls of the outer portion 6|. Cage portion 63has a central bottom opening 63' whose margins constitute a seat for aball 13.

The unit 69 is inserted in the bottle neck 14 by engaging a suitabletool with the edge of portion 6|. Due to the flare of the latter and theprovision of the slits 62, its lip is evenly contracted to afford a band15 of contact with the inner walls of the bottle neck and due to thisaxial zone of contact the unit is maintained in coaxial relation withthe neck. The slits 62 are substantially closed and in any event are toominute to pass any substantial amount of liquid either into or out ofthe container. Since the cage 63 is imperforate except for the opening63', it is only through the latter that the container contents haveaccess to the pouring opening of the unit. It will be seen that thebalile provisions it and 12 render impossible any access to ball 13 fromthe outer end of the unit and any extractive pull on them will result inbreakage since they are unable to withstand sufiicient traction toovercome the frictional engagement of the unit in the bottle neck.

In all cases the anti-refill device or unit, with the exception of theball or balls, is preferably made entirely of molded plastic, andinjection molding is desirably used in making all parts capable ofproduction in that manner. While polystyrene has been mentioned as asuitable plastic, other suitable synthetic materials of semifiexiblecomposition may be used. The invention is by no means limited to thespecific details which have been disclosed by Way of example, variationsin the form and arrangement of parts being contemplated under the claimswhich follow. In these claims, directional terms such as outer, inner,etc., are used merely as a matter of convenient description and withoutlimiting intent.

I claim:

1. An anti-refill device insertable in a smoothwalled container neck forretention therein, said device being of molded plastic and comprising aninwardly dished outer portion defining a pouring opening and includingan annular lip beveled to a thin circumferential outer edge, said lipbeing circumferentially contractible but so resistant to contraction andof such diameter as to tightly engage the container neck against removalwhen inserted therein, a cage fixed to said outer portion inwardly ofthe latter and including a seat defining an opening afiording the onlymeans of access of the container contents to said pouring opening whenthe device is in the container neck, and a movable valve body in saidcage cooperable with said seat, said device including balile meansbarring access to said valve body from the outer end of the device.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said bafile means includes asolid disc and a ring which are spaced apart and coaxially arranged,said ring having an outer periphery at least substantially as great asthe inner periphery of said '4. A device according to claim 1 whereinthe cage has solid walls preventing by-passing of the seat opening bythe container contents.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the lipis solid and its radialsection is substantially that of the marginal portion of a relativelyflat converging meniscus.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said outer portion issubstantially bell-shaped, is provided with fine radial slits, andcontracts upon insertion in the container neck to provide a band ofcontact with the container neck.

7. An anti-refill device insertable in a smooth- Walled container neckfor retention therein, said device being of molded plastic and includingtop and bottom annular fins of which the top fin is dished inwardly andhas a radial section substantially that of the marginal portion of arelatively fiat converging meniscus, axially extending legs joining saidfins, a ball retained between said fins by said legs, the inner marginsof the bottom fin opening constituting a seat for said ball, and bafflemeans supported by said legs barring access to said ball through theopening of the top fin, the top fin being circumferentially contractiblebut so resistant to contraction and of such diameter as to tightlyengage the container neck against removal when inserted therein and thebottom fin being adapted to seal off the container neck in to said seat.

8. A device according to claim '7 wherein the radial section of thebottom fin is like that of the top fin and its diameter is slightly lessthan that of the top fin.

9. A device according to claim 7 wherein said bafile means includes asolid disc and a ring which are spaced apart and coaxially arranged,said ring having an outer periphery at least substantially as great asthe inner periphery of the top fin and an opening whose size is at mostnot substantially greater than the size of said disc.

10. A device according to claim '7 wherein a guard disc is supported inspaced overlying relation to the top fin opening.

11. A device according to claim 7 wherein a cage extends below saidbottom fin and includes a bottom opening affording the only means ofaccess of the container contents into said cage when the device is inthe container neck, wherein a ball in said cage cooperates with themargins of said bottom opening as a seat, and wherein means are providedpreventing the second ball from seating in the opening of said bottomfin when the container is tipped for normal pouring but permitting saidsecond ball to seat in said bottom opening under abnormal conditions.

12. An anti-refill device insertable in a smooth-walled container neckfor retention therein, said device being of molded plastic and includingtop and bottom annular fins and relatively fragile legs joining saidfins, and a ball movable between said fins within said legs and adaptedto seal the opening of the bottom fin, said fins frictionally engagingthe device in a bottle neck when inserted therein, said legs beingsufficiently strong to transmit inserting pressure from the top to thebottom fin but apt to separate under tension if extractive force isapplied to the top fin.

13. The combination with a container having a neck with smooth innerwalls, of an anti-refill device of molded plastic inserted in said neck,said device including an annular fin providing a pouring opening, saidfin being inwardly dished and having a free lip portion which iscircumneck, said device including an annular fin providing'a pouringopening, said fin being inwardly dished and having a free lip portionwhich is circumferentially contractible but is so resistant tocontraction and of said original diameter as to tightly engage thecontainer neck when pushed therein so that said device is retainedagainst removal solely by friction, said fin sealing off the containerneck in to said pouring opening, said device also including means spacedaxially of the neck from said fin and engaging the neck to center saidfin therein.

HENRY A. FISHER.

